Chunk light tuna lunch kit

by Starkist

75
Caution
Safety Score (out of 100)

Contains 1 flagged ingredient

Chunk light tuna lunch kit by Starkist receives a safety score of 75/100 based on ingredient analysis using FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) data and CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings. The product contains 1 ingredient that have been flagged for potential safety concerns by regulatory or consumer advocacy databases. Product label data is sourced from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative database. See the full ingredient breakdown and safety assessment below.

Barcode
0080000516923
Nutri-Score
c
NOVA Group
4 — Ultra-processed
Serving Size
4.48 ONZ (127 g)

What the Data Says About

Chunk light tuna lunch kit by Starkist carries a composite safety score of 75/100, which we classify as "Caution" on our four-tier shelf-label framework. The score is computed by mapping each labeled ingredient against FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status and CSPI Chemical Cuisine classifications, then penalizing the overall product for each additive rated as caution-or-worse. Product data originates from the OpenFoodFacts collaborative catalog; safety annotations come from federal regulators and the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Our scan identified 1 flagged ingredient in this product — components that at least one official source has classified as requiring caution, targeted avoidance, or further evaluation. Flagged ingredients are the items most likely to surface in FDA inspection findings, state-level ingredient bans, or outbreak-related recall notices, so the per-ingredient breakdown below is the most useful lens for anyone screening this product for a specific dietary concern.

On the NOVA processing scale, Chunk light tuna lunch kit is classified as Group 4 (Ultra-processed). NOVA measures industrial processing intensity rather than ingredient-level safety, so it complements the SAFFA and CSPI ratings: a product can be clean on additive flags but heavily processed, or lightly processed but carry individually flagged ingredients. Combining both lenses gives a fuller picture than either alone. The Nutri-Score grade of C reflects nutritional balance — calories, saturated fat, sugar, sodium versus fiber, protein, and produce content — which again is a distinct dimension from additive safety and worth weighing alongside the scores above.

Safety Profile at a Glance

Composite safety metrics for Chunk light tuna lunch kit
Metric Value Source
PlainFoodSafe Score 75/100 FDA SAFFA + CSPI composite
Flagged ingredients 1 CSPI/FDA review
NOVA processing group Group 4 OpenFoodFacts
Nutri-Score C OpenFoodFacts

Composite metric derived from FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine, OpenFoodFacts. See methodology.

Ingredient Safety Analysis

1
Tuna: Light Tuna
2
Water
3
Vegetable Broth
4
Salt. Crackers: Enriched Wheat Flour
5
Iron
6
Niacin
NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
7
Thiamine
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
8
Riboflavin
COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT
GRAS
9
Palm Oil
10
Wheat Bran
11
Sugar
Sweetener
Cut Back
12
Leavening Agents
13
Ammonium Bicarbonate
DOUGH STRENGTHENER, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, TEXTURIZER
GRAS
14
Monocalcium Phosphate
15
Sodium Bicarbonate
EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE
GRAS
16
Invert Sugar
FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRITIVE SWEETENER
Cut Back GRAS
17
Malt Extract
18
Salt
Flavoring
Cut Back
19
Soy Lecithin. Reduced Calorie Mayonnaise: Water
20
Soybean Oil
21
Corn Starch
22
Eggs
23
Citric Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, ENZYME, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, LEAVENING AGENT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SEQUESTRANT, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Safe GRAS
24
Xanthan Gum
ANTICAKING AGENT OR FREE-FLOW AGENT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, DRYING AGENT, EMULSIFIER OR EMULSIFIER SALT, FORMULATION AID, PROCESSING AID, SOLVENT OR VEHICLE, STABILIZER OR THICKENER, SURFACE-FINISHING AGENT, TEXTURIZER
Approved
25
Acetic Acid
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
26
Sodium Benzoate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, FUMIGANT, PH CONTROL AGENT, SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENT
Certain People Should Avoid GRAS
27
Potassium Sorbate
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT, ANTIOXIDANT, COLOR OR COLORING ADJUNCT, FLAVOR ENHANCER, FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT, NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT, PH CONTROL AGENT
Safe GRAS
28
Onion Powder
29
Vitamin E
30
Garlic Powder
31
EDTA
Other
Safe
32
Mustard Oleoresin
33
Beta Carotene
34
Color
35
. Sweet Relish: Pickles
36
Cucumbers
37
High-fructose corn syrup
Sweetener
Cut Back
38
Distilled Vinegar
39
Natural & Artificial Flavors
40
Less Than 1/10 Of 1% Sodium Benzoate And Potassium Sorbate
41
Oleoresin Turmeric
42
Yellow 5
Avoid Approved (certified color)
43
Blue #1
44
And Polysorbate 80

Full Ingredient List

Tuna: light tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt. crackers: enriched wheat flour (iron, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin), palm oil, wheat bran, sugar, leavening agents (ammonium bicarbonate, monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), water, invert sugar, malt extract, salt, soy lecithin. reduced calorie mayonnaise: water, soybean oil, modified corn starch, eggs, sugar, salt, citric acid, xanthan gum, acetic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, onion powder, vitamin e, garlic powder, edta, mustard oleoresin, beta carotene (color). sweet relish: pickles (cucumbers, salt) high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, xanthan gum, natural & artificial flavors, less than 1/10 of 1% sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, oleoresin turmeric, fd&c yellow #5, blue #1, and polysorbate 80.

Categories

Snacks

Data Sources

Data as of 2025. Source: OpenFoodFacts, FDA SAFFA, CSPI Chemical Cuisine.

Product data from OpenFoodFacts (ODbL). Ingredient safety ratings from FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine. See our methodology for details.

This information is for reference only and does not constitute dietary or medical advice.

Related

Data sourced from official FDA, USDA, and CDC food-safety databases. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe Editorial